Role of membrane permeabilities (calcium, chloride, and potassium) in the genesis of the notch observed on simian and prosimian cardiac action potentials.

The effect of temperature reduction on monkey ventricular action potentials has been studied. Under this condition the genesis of a notch separating the AP spike from the AP plateau has been related either to a conduction phenomenon or to a delay in the activation of the slow inward current. It is observed that the development of a notch at the beginning of the plateau depends both on the presence of a large outward, repolarising current, carried by chloride and/or potassium ions, and on the presence of a slow inward calcium current large enough to depolarise the membrane as the chloride current deactivates.